Stubble-cutter attachment for corn-harvesters.



No. 692,62l. Patented Feb. 4,1902 J. GHAMBERLIN.

STUBBLE CUTTER ATTACHMENT FUR CORN .HABVESTERS.

(Application filed Apr. 18, 1901.)

(No llodel.)

WITNESSES. INVENTOR. I

m: mamas wrrzws moroumo, WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN OHAMBERLIN, OF FLATROCK, MICHIGAN.

STUBBLE-CUTT-ER ATTACHMENT FOR CORN-H ARVESTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,621, dated February4, 1902.

Application filed April 18 1901. Serial No. 56 ,345- (No'modeh) l i Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN CHAMBERLIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Flatrock, in the county of- Wayne, State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Stubble CutterAttachments for Corn-Harvesters; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to a stubble-cutter attachment forcorn-harvesters; and it consists inthe construction and arrangement ofparts hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out particularly'in theclaims.

The object of the invention is to produce simple and efficient means,adapted for attachment to a corn-harvester, whereby the long stubbleleft by the harvester may be severed close to the ground to render theground more readily tillable, to obviate the inconvenience of the longstubbles in harvesting the crop, and to facilitate the decomposition ofthe stubbles.

The above object is attained by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of aportion of a frame mounted upon transporting-wheels and having myimproved stubble-cutter attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig.1, the structure carrying the chain and pulley which elevate theauxiliary frame being shown in dotted lines.

While it is designed to attach this improved stubble-cutter to acorn-harvester, it is not necessary to illustrate the harvester indetail, and I have therefore only shown a portion of a frame mounted ontransporting-wheels in lieu of a harvester proper, as the harvester isin no sense essential to the illustration and operation of theinvention.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates a portion of aframe mounted upon transporting-wheels 2.

The stubble-cutter consists of a frame comprising the united angle-bars3 and 4. p The upper end of the bar 3 isloosely attached by means of aring or link 5 to the frame and inclines downwardly and rearwardly, sothat the rear end thereof rests on the ground.

The upper endof the bar 4 is loosely pivoted at 6 to a bracket 7,depending from the frame, and from said point of pivot said bar extendsdownwardly and rearwardly in a straight line to the point 8 of itsattachment to the bar 3, at which point said bar 4 curves laterally awayfrom the bar 3 and at the termination of said curved portion is providedtends rearwardly in a straight line to the ground. The rear end of bothof thebars 3 and 4 is provided with a curved portion 10, which serves asa shoe or runner to afford a bearing upon the ground and to prevent saidbars from running into the soil should the machine be run backwardwithout first rais 17. The lower end of the rod 16 is provided with aneye 18, which engages loosely in the flange of the bar 4 at the centerofthe inclined or curvedportion 11. Mounted upon the rod 16 is acoiled'spring 19, whose lower end is fastened at 20 to said rod andwhose upper end bears against the face of the bar 15, around theaperture through which said rod passes, so that the tension of saidspring is exerted to create a downward and a sidewise pressure upon theknife-carrying frame and yet allow of a vertical movement of the framewhen itis desired to raise the bars thereof from the ground, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 1, at which time the rod 16, which lies freely inthe opening in the end of. the bar 15, projects through said bar as theframe is raised. The frame may be elevated by means of a chain21,attached thereto and passing over a pulley 22, carried bya structure23, mounted on a frame, from whence said chain leads to a point withinreach of the operator. The main with a bend 9, from which point said bareX- function of the spring 19, however, is to hold the knife-carryingframe down against the tendency of the knife to ride up on the row ofstubbles because of the angle at which the knife is held. This tendencyis overcome by the spring, and get the knife-carrying frame is permittedsuch freedom of movement as to obviate any undue strain upon the knife.The angle at which the knife encounters the stalk or stubble has atendency to shove the knife-carrying frame sidewise as the stubble isencountered by the blade and resists the progress of the knife. Thissidewise movement is provided for by the manner in which the bars of theknife-carrying frame are attached to the main frame; but the knife isyieldingly held to its work by the spring 19,

which yields sufficiently to permit the frame to move sidewise, butexerts its pressure to hold the knife in contact with the stubbles, sothat a drawing cutis effected, which greatly facilitates the severing ofthe stalks.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device for the purpose set forth, the

combination of a portable frame, a knife-car-- rying frame looselyattached thereto, a knife upon said frame and a spring-actuated rodjointedly attached to the knife-frame for holding said knife yieldinglyin position.

2. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination of atransporting-frame, an auxiliary frame comprising rearwardly anddownwardly extending bars whose rear ends bear upon the ground and whoseforward ends are j ointedly attached to the transporting-frame,

eeaeai a knife mounted on said auxiliary frame to present its edgeobliquely to the line of stalks and having its forward end elevatedabove the rear end thereof, a rigid bar attached to thetransporting-frame and extending rearwardly, a rod jointedly attached tothe auxiliary frame at its lower end and passing freely through said barat its upper end, a spring surrounding the upper end ofsaid bar beingsupported at its lower end by a pin through said rod and bearing at itsupper end against said bar and means for raising therear end of theauxiliary knife-frame.

3. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination of a portableframe, an auxiliary frame attached thereto to have a slight lateralmovement at its'rear end, a knife mounted obliquely in the auxiliaryframe and means for allowing the auxiliary frame to move laterallyagainst spring resistance.

4:- In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination of a portableframe, an auxiliary frame loosely attached thereto comprisingknife-supporting bars whose rear ends rest upon the ground, a knifemounted at an angle in said auxiliary frame, a spring actuated rodpivoted to the knife-frame and a rigid bar mounted on the portable framesupporting the upper end of said rod and through which said rod passesfreely.

In testimony whereof I sign this specifica tion in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN OIIAMBERLIN.

Witnesses:

W. H. BLAKELY, A. L. Hours.

